Stray bullet narrowly misses woman in Norwalk bedroom

Published 9:12 pm, Thursday, September 23, 2010

NORWALK -- A 67-year-old Norwalk woman narrowly escaped being hit by a stray bullet fired outside her Colonial Village apartment while she was asleep in her bed late Wednesday.

"It was close," said Geraldine DiAmico who has lived in the public housing complex along Scribner Avenue for 38 years.

DiAmico said the shot, which pierced her bedroom wall facing Scribner Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. less than 3 feet from where she was sleeping in her second story bedroom, sounded like a transformer blowing.

"I heard a loud crack," she said. "I didn't even think it was a bullet."

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She went back to sleep. When she awoke Thursday morning, she saw the bullet hole that came through the outside wall of her apartment, blew a hole in the drywall and pierced a plastic crate she uses as a television stand near the foot of her bed. The bullet skimmed across a wall and bounced off her wooden dresser, she said.

Norwalk Police Sgt. James Walsh said three callers reported hearing five or six shots around 11:23 p.m. Wednesday.

"It is certainly disturbing. We have seen an increase in young people carrying weapons and we have made a significant number of arrests of people suspected of gang involvement and violent activities," said Rilling, adding that the shooting is under investigation. "I am thankful there was no serous injury. This is another example of why people should know where their children are and work with the police to help get criminals off the street."

Walsh said one witness told police after hearing the shots she saw a car speed down Scribner Avenue and turn onto West Cedar Street.

DiAmico said two detectives came to her home Thursday morning and took photographs and the slug as evidence. One detective remarked that the slug felt heavy, she said.

A neighbor, who did not want to identify herself, said she heard five shots go off while she was in bed.

"All I did was I kept my head down, because it sounded so close," said the woman, who was walking out of her home two doors away from DiAmico with her 2-year-old daughter.

Jennifer Stuart, a neighbor of DiAmico who was visiting Thursday morning, said she would have been frightened.

"That is very, very scary, because the bullet could have hit her and she is a very good person," Stuart said.

Staff writer John Nickerson can be reached at john.nickerson@scni.com or 203-964-2320.